Forensic Psychologist
Salary

Forensic Psychologists in the United States can expect wages of $61K per year on average. Career duration and the particular city each impact pay for this group, with the former having the largest influence. Women account for the majority of Forensic Psychologists who responded to the questionnaire — 64 percent to be exact. A large number enjoy medical while the greater part get dental coverage. Vision coverage is also available to roughly one-half. Most workers in this position report high levels of job satisfaction.

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

Job Description for Forensic Psychologist

Forensic Psychology is a professional career that is a specialty focus of the broader Psychology field. Forensic Psychologists are responsible for the evaluation and assessment of adults and children involved in legal cases, including mental health testing, chemical dependency evaluations, collateral contact interviews, and the administration and interpretation of personality tests. This may include determinations of psychological stability and/or diagnosis of mental illness as it relates to court proceedings, including the determination of an individual's ability to stand trial. A Forensic Psychologist may also be involved in assisting with jury selection and may assist with court case strategy. They also provide expert opinions, testimony, and briefs regarding the psychology of defendants. Forensic Psychologists provide services that are both clinical and forensic-related, and may provide treatment recommendations for those undergoing evaluation. Some Forensic Psychologists work with police or sheriffs' departments, providing mental health evaluations or advocacy in the field as needed. Others work primarily in the courthouse, providing professional, expert testimony to relevant court cases. Other responsibilities may include interviewing individuals related to court cases, gathering information about the mental health or psychological history of individuals, special projects or assignments such as department committees, legal consultations, community outreach, professional education, special research projects, and oversight and training of graduate students or interns. Forensic Psychologists work primarily independently or with the oversight of a superior Forensic Psychologist. A Forensic Psychologist usually has an advanced degree in psychology, either at a Master or Doctorate level. Specialized education is also required, frequently in the Criminal Justice field.

Forensic Psychologist Tasks

Provide services that are both clinical and forensic related.

Provide expert opinion, testimony and briefs on the psychology of defendants.

Assist in jury selection and case strategy.

Provide treatment recommendations.

Forensic Psychologist Job Listings

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This chart shows the most popular skills for this job and what effect each skill has on pay.

Forensic Psychologists who responded to the survey report just a handful of professional skills. Most notably, facility with Clinical Psychology and Forensic Psychology are correlated to pay that is significantly above average, leading to increases of 28 percent and 20 percent, respectively. Clinical Psychology and Forensic Psychology are also commonly seen together.

Pay by Experience Level for Forensic Psychologist

Median of all compensation (including tips, bonus, and overtime) by years of experience.

Forensic Psychologists with a lot of experience tend to enjoy higher earnings. The average inexperienced worker earns $56K, and someone who has worked for five to 10 years can expect a bigger median salary of $76K. Forensic Psychologists claiming one to two decades of experience make an estimated median of $84K. Veteran professionals who boast more than 20 years of relevant experience enjoy plum median salaries that average out to the six-figure sum of $117K.